Thursday, December 3, 2009

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The Independent reports in its November 19 News Briefs that two boys committed suicide in the past month: a 16-year-old on October 30, and a second boy on November 4 [“Health“]. In fact, since last spring, there have been four suicides committed by young Latino boys in Santa Barbara. Imagine if four white middle-class teenagers committed suicide within a short time frame in Santa Barbara. The amount of concern and calls for intervention and prevention would be overwhelming, and the vast resources of this community would be brought to bear to address the issue. In the current case, there is a small cadre of concerned community members, caseworkers, school staff, nonprofits, and parents who have been meeting to address this issue. However, the lack of newspaper coverage, silence of our city leaders, lack of resources, and overall lack of community concern is alarming. It’s time this community took a hard look at its priorities and prejudices. Every life, every child in this community deserves the same value and respect as every other. - Bonnie Beedles

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Had Independent executive editor Nick Welsh read the annual Report on Leading Causes of Premature Death in our county, issued by the Santa Barbara Public Health Department, his shock at learning the incidence of youth suicide would have come earlier [”
Doggie See, Doggie Do“]. Items included in this report were the primary reason Public Health Department Directors Michele Mickiewicz and Scott McCann were interviewed on the Channel 17 television program Just Between Us! in May of this year. Four of the Top Ten causes of premature death in our county, i.e., death before age 75: (1) Liver disease or cirrhosis; (2) Vehicle accidents; (3) Drug overdose and (4) Suicide.-William Smithers

Comments

Bonnie your implied that it is racism leading that lacked the "vast resources of this community would be brought to bear" on this problem.

Where do you get that except when small minded people like yourself automatically ASSUME that since a person or group of persons is of a certain race then race has to be the underlying reason on why or why not something is being done?

And here is the article from which you make your vast assumption, please tell me you are armed with more information than what is contained in these few sentences.

"Suicide prevention workers have been working overtime in the wake of two teen suicides that occurred within a week of each other, both employing the same means. The first youth, aged 16, died on October 30 in downtown Santa Barbara; the second on November 4 in Goleta. Two meetings have been held since the deaths allowing concerned parents to hear from counselors with Glendon Associates, who specialize in suicide awareness and prevention. There is no evidence that the two youths knew each other."

Oh and by the way do you know what the leading cause of death is among teenagers? Traffic accidents. Now why don't people champion that cause? Race must have something to do about it huh? 2nd leading cause of death is suicide, it happens Bonnie; it is not race specific.

One thing's for sure: If a young person dies in Santa Barbara, there is a chance that NO toxicology report will be issued. Remember the tragic death of Noah Krom, last June? There is still no released toxicology report over six months later! An Orange County blog operated by Art Pedroza, The Orange Juice Blog, is inquiring to why the death of a son of an OC political candidate is being neglected or maybe even being covered up. There are a pair of stories running right now, for anyone who is interested. Comments are always welcome there.